South East Dorset Green Party is pleased to announce that Geoffrey Darnton and Carla Gregory-May will be standing as Green Party candidates in the Kinson South By-Election being held on 10th December.
Both Geoffrey and Carla live in Kinson and care about the area, and if elected will oppose the council’s austerity agenda. Recent statistics reported in the Bournemouth Echo on Monday show thatalmost one in every five Bournemouth children is living in poverty, 33.38 per cent of children in Kinson South.
They will challenge the council cuts to local library service, fight for an equal share of council funding and investment and press for safer roads for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.
When local campaigners asked for road calming measures along Poole Lane, the Council’s response was that it could not justify the expense of £200,000, although it found £650,000 for the cycle lane implementation in Castle Lane.
Walking and cycling are given high priority in Green Party transport policies. They benefit the user through increased health and by reducing impact on the environment. Kinson South residents have as much right to this benefit as other wards.
Geoffrey Darnton, who movedto Kinson from Christchurch in 2007, has previous experience of setting up recycling schemes which saved local residents a lot of money. Currently governor at two schools, one of his priorities as councillor would be promoting equal opportunities for young people across the ward.
He said “First the Conservatives cut Education Maintenance Allowance, then they introduced Tuition Fees and now they have cut University Maintenance Grants. Education is for all, not just the privileged.”
Carla Gregory-Maylives with her family in Kinson and is actively involved in the PTFA at her son’s school. Through innovative fundraising she has helped raise £9000 and would like to put her creative skills to good use across the ward through community led projects.
Carla commented “We need more social housing and rent caps for private properties, and an end to the bedroom tax which hits the poorest in our country.”
A leaflet is being delivered to all households in the ward, and a copy can be viewed on our website https://southeastdorset.greenparty.org.uk/
Helen Woodall
